Dragon Ball Z Pretty Much Told the Same Story Three Times, You Just Didn’t Notice

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The animated series “Dragon Ball Z” is widely recognized as one of the most iconic anime ever made. Although the initial “Dragon Ball” series had already gained a significant following, it’s the “Z” series that tends to be more familiar to anime enthusiasts. There are numerous individuals who may not have watched the original “Dragon Ball,” but still enjoy and appreciate “Dragon Ball Z.

The animated series “Dragon Ball Z” is essentially the heart of this franchise, a term often used by fans. Unlike the original “Dragon Ball” anime, where Saiyans and power level escalation weren’t significant elements, they are now key aspects of the franchise today. Interestingly, despite featuring numerous super-powered aliens and potential universe-threatening scenarios, the storyline in “Dragon Ball Z” was essentially told three times over.

Dragon Ball and the “Shonen Formula”

Although Dragon Ball didn’t originate numerous elements that now define the standard shonen manga style, it holds significant influence within the manga industry. The series played a crucial role in disseminating this formula globally, thanks to its unprecedented international popularity. While several shonen anime achieved success in various countries before Dragon Ball, few managed to gain such widespread acclaim as Dragon Ball did.

As a result, although Dragon Ball didn’t originally introduce many common shonen elements, it significantly contributed to their popularization, becoming an essential piece of the so-called “shonen formula”. Moreover, its influence has reached far beyond Japan, inspiring numerous artists both locally and globally.

Many DBZ Sagas Follow a Similar Structure

  • Saiyan Saga, Frieza Saga and Cell Saga follow similar narrative structures.
  • The Buu Saga also contains many elements of this formula, but Toriyama did a few new things there.

Initially, it’s worth noting that Dragon Ball isn’t celebrated for its intricate, layered narrative. In reality, many fundamental aspects that make up the series today were spontaneous ideas that came to Toriyama as he was creating the manga. It was in Dragon Ball Z where many of these concepts were introduced, such as the Saiyan race and their transformations, and the notion that there are numerous powerful alien species out there.

Though certain aspects have become more intricate, the storyline retains a straightforward plot structure, to the extent that one could argue Dragon Ball Z repeats its tale at least three times: a formidable adversary emerges, Goku and fellow Saiyans prepare to vanquish him by honing their skills, obtaining significant power-ups, and ultimately defeating the enemy in a thrilling battle requiring the combined might of the Z Fighters. Toriyama initially crafted this structure during the Saiyan Saga, where Kaioken served as Goku’s primary power boost, but then he refined it further by introducing Super Saiyan in the Frieza arc. The Cell arc adheres well to this pattern, while the Buu arc incorporates many elements of the formula, though Toriyama attempted to introduce some variation in its execution.

Dragon Ball Z’s Formula Remains in Dragon Ball Super

All three shows – Dragon Ball GT, Dragon Ball Super, and Dragon Ball Daima – share a similar structure to some extent. Among these, fans of Dragon Ball Z often favor Dragon Ball Super more than the others, primarily due to its innovative approach towards transformations. In Super, they’ve elevated transformations to unprecedented levels, introducing numerous powerful Super Saiyan forms and unique transformations tailored to suit each character’s fighting style and persona. Additionally, Piccolo receives a significant power-up in this series as well.

Again, enthusiasm among fans is high regarding Frieza. Since the emergence of Black Frieza within the Granolah the Survivor Arc, there’s been a palpable anticipation for the day when Goku and his allies will confront the antagonist once more. The potential battle promises to be even more intense than their previous encounter on Namek.

When Will Dragon Ball Super Return?

Unfortunately, the animated series Dragon Ball Super has been off the air for several months now. As reported by Victory Uchida, the editor of V-JUMP, it appears that the show won’t make a comeback this year. However, there’s still a glimmer of optimism, as Toyotaro mentioned that continuing the series without Akira Toriyama might be challenging, but not entirely out of the question.

Toyotaro believes that continuing without Toriyama-sensei would be “not easy, but not impossible.”

— DBTimes via Venixys

Currently, Dragon Ball Super enthusiasts find themselves eagerly anticipating any solid updates, or even hints, regarding the prospect of a second season of the anime series.

Dragon Ball Super is available to read on MANGA Plus in English and Spanish.

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2025-08-08 23:36